The Lonely Life: An Autobiography

The Lonely Life details the first 50-plus years of Davis' life - her Yankee childhood, her rise to stardom in Hollywood, the birth of her beloved children, and the uncompromising choices she made along the way to succeed. The book was updated with new material in the 1980s, bringing the story up to the end of Davis' life - all the heartbreak, all the drama, and all the love she experienced at every stage of her extraordinary life.

The Elephant to Hollywood

Sir Michael Caine is loved not just for his many films, but for his warmth, honesty, and humour in describing every aspect of his life from his humble South London beginnings to performing alongside the greatest Hollywood actors of the day.

This 'n That

A woman of strong appetites and opinions, Bette Davis minces no words. In frank, no-nonsense terms, she talks about the stroke that nearly killed her and inspires us with the story of her subsequent recovery from cancer - a lively and encouraging account shot through with the star's unique blend of spunk and wit.

The Whole Truth and Nothing But

From the dawn of the studio system to the decade it all came crashing down, Hedda Hopper was one of the Queens of Hollywood. Although she made her name as a star of the silent screen, she found her calling as a gossip columnist, where she had the ear of the most powerful force in show business: the public. With a readership of 20,000,000 people, Hopper turned nobodies into stars, and brought stars to their knees. And in this sensational memoir, she tells all.

The Duchess: The Untold Story

In her relationship with Charles, which has survived for more than 40 years, Camilla's story has seen a great many myths. This book is the definitive account. The relationship between Charles, Prince of Wales, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, is one of the most remarkable love stories of the age. It has endured against all the odds and, in the process, nearly destroyed the British monarchy.

Betty Grable: The Reluctant Movie Queen

Betty Grable: The Reluctant Movie Queen is a fascinating and intimate account of the famous star who was for many years the highest-paid woman in America and a favorite pin-up all over the world.

Publisher's Summary

"I'm notorious for giving a bad interview. I'm an actor and I can't help but feel I'm boring when I'm on as myself." (Rock Hudson)

A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history's most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors' American Legends series, listeners can get caught up to speed on the lives of America's most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known.

In the middle of the 20th century, there was perhaps no leading man as famous and popular as Rock Hudson, who would star in both comedies and dramas on the way to being named one of the Top 10 Stars of the Year for eight years straight (1957-1964). Whether he was starring in a comedy with Doris Day or in a drama opposite Elizabeth Taylor, the tall, impeccably dressed actor couldn't help but make girls in the audience swoon, and he was recognized as one of Hollywood's biggest heartthrobs. The successes of his peak years ensured that Hudson would remain a star over the course of four decades. He appeared in about 70 films during his career.

Today, however, Rock Hudson might be better known for his personal life. Acting in a more conservative era, Hudson struggled to keep his homosexuality out of the news, for fear it would destroy his career, even though many of his Hollywood contemporaries were aware of it. After Hudson died of AIDS in 1985 - perhaps the first major celebrity to die of the disease - details of his personal life began to be publicized, sometimes amidst messy legal battles. The pains Hudson took to keep his personal life private soon became clear.